Stores have to fight return fraud

Last week, I discussed product returns and some of the seemingly strange policies retailers have regarding items for return. Readers continue to share their tales from the return department:

Dear Jill: I bought a large ride-on toy for my child's birthday, and the toy broke before it was a year old. When I contacted the toy company about getting this toy repaired or replaced, they said they would ship a new one provided I use a permanent marker to write a three-digit number all over the item. I needed to document that I did this by taking pictures of the (now defaced) toy, and once I emailed the photographs to the company, they indeed sent a new one. Isn't this crazy? -- Holly F.

Dear Holly: The "deface it with a marker" strategy is actually something I've heard about. Before sending out a new big-ticket item to replace a broken one, think about all of the information the toy manufacturer was able to secure from you. First, they knew you actually owned the toy and weren't calling to try to get them to send the item to someone who didn't actually have a broken one. Second, by asking you to write a specific number all over the toy, they knew that you had followed their directions and not simply attached a photograph of a similar toy found online. Third, the company ensured no one else would want to pick up this toy from the curb on trash day. Crazy? Yes, but the company has likely put this policy in place for a reason.

Dear Jill: I returned a couple of boxes of cereal to my grocery store. Nothing was wrong with it, but the woman at the service desk threw it in a trash bin, and said they had to throw it away because I could have poisoned the cereal and resealed the boxes. -- Tara

Dear Tara: I understand what you're saying, but there are plenty of factors in place to discourage someone from tampering with food in the store -- closed-circuit security cameras, store employees and customers with smart phones with built-in cameras, perfect for documenting anything unusual going on in the store.

The cost of destroying the unwanted food may keep the other shoppers safe.

JILL CATALDO, a mother of three, never passes up a good deal. Write to her at www.super-couponing.com.